U.S. DOE asked to allow Guam schools to control own federal funds

Education Superintendent Jon Fernandez and education board members lead Monday morning’s walkthrough of Chief Brodie Memorial Elementary School which could be converted into a middle school.
Pacific Daily News

Del. Madeleine Bordallo has urged U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to allow Guam's public school system to regain management of more than $40 million in federal education funds it receives annually, citing much improved fiscal accountability in place.

U.S. DOE required the Guam Department of Education to hire a third party to manage federal funds it receives, as a condition of continuing to receive those funds.

Bordallo also wrote a letter to DeVos and U.S. Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Frank Brogan, following a high-level meeting in Washington, D.C., that the delegate secured for visiting Guam Education Board Chairman Mark Mendiola and Superintendent Jon Fernandez, along with other senior Guam DOE officials.

"I look forward to working with Secretary DeVos and Assistant Secretary Brogan to ensure accountability at (Guam DOE) and do away with these outdated federal restrictions. In the meantime, I continue working in Congress to secure Guam's fair share of federal funding for our schools," said Bordallo, who is seeking reelection.

High-risk status

U.S. DOE designated Guam DOE a high-risk grantee status, for nearly 15 years now, due to past improper management of federal education funds.

Years later, U.S. DOE placed specific conditions related to the high-risk status such as hiring a third party to manage all federal education funds that Guam DOE receives every year.